Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Renewable Energy

lord lilley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has made of the domestic value added as a proportion of the total cost of capital investment in renewable energy capacity installed in the last five years, and in particular of the domestic value added as a proportion of the cost of (1) electric photo voltaic panels, (2) heat pumps, (3) batteries for electric cars, (4) wind turbines, generators and gear boxes, (5) wind turbine blades, and (6) platforms and legs for offshore wind turbines.

lord callanan: The Government has not made an assessment on this basis. However, in 2019, the Department commissioned a consortium to provide analysis on future energy innovation needs and to produce the Energy Innovation Needs Assessments. These include information on potential Gross Value Add, domestic and export growth opportunities of different technologies in the UK’s future energy system. The Energy Innovation Needs Assessments are available on the GOV.UK website.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Armenia: Violence

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the outbreak of violence in Tavush, north-eastern Armenia; what discussions they have had with the government of Azerbaijan about that violence; and what steps they have taken to support the government of Armenia in relation to this violence.

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of recent pro-war demonstrations held in Baku, Azerbaijan; and what steps they have taken to promote de-escalation of tensions.

baroness sugg: The Government is deeply concerned by the recent ceasefire violations on the international border between Armenia and Azerbaijan and regrets the loss of life. We continue to monitor the situation closely. The Government supports the negotiations facilitated by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group aimed at securing a peaceful settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office statement of 14 July called for both sides to respect the ceasefire, engage in dialogue and refrain from rhetoric that could increase tensions. In our conversations with both governments we will continue to stress the need for a return to substantive talks and the importance of building confidence in the peacebuilding process.

Iraq: Minority Groups

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatsteps they are taking to assist religious minorities in Iraq, in particular those who have (1) been victims of genocidal acts, and (2) whoare at risk due to the COVID-19 pandemic; and what assistance they have provided to the government of Iraq to assist with the prosecution of Daesh fighters in that country.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK is working to support the rights of religious minorities in Iraq, including those who were the victims of appalling Daesh crimes. To enable the return of internally displaced persons, including minorities, we have contributed £28 million to the UNDP Funding Facility for Stabilisation, which is restoring vital infrastructure and basic services in areas liberated from Daesh. Additionally, we have redistributed £9.9 million to support the health response to the spread of Covid-19 in Iraq. In order to support the prosecution of Daesh crimes in Iraq, we have provided £2 million to the UN Investigative Team for the Accountability of Daesh (UNITAD) and are encouraging close co-operation between UNITAD and the Government of Iraq to achieve justice for Daesh's victims.

India: Religious Freedom

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to theannouncement by the Chief Minister of Haryanathat he intends to introduce a freedom of religion law to ensure that anyone involved in "unlawful conversions" will be brought to justice, what plans they have to make urgent representations to the government of (1) India, and (2) Haryana, about the impact such a law would have on (a) the reality of freedom of religion or belief for Indian citizens, and (b) international confidence in the government of India’s willingness to uphold Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We engage India on the full range of human rights matters. We work with Union and State Governments, as well as NGOs, to build capacity and share expertise to promote human rights for all. Where we have concerns we raise them directly with the Government of India. Most recently, I discussed the situation for India's minorities with the Acting High Commissioner of India on 22 May. I have previously raised our concerns about the impact of recent legislative and judicial measures on minorities with Indian Government Ministers.

Yemen: Peace Negotiations

baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with international partners about securing a permanent ceasefire in Yemen.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK continues to support the efforts of the UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths to secure the parties' agreement to proposals for a nationwide ceasefire and resumption of the UN-led political process. We engage regularly with international partners on Yemen, including through our role as penholder in the UN Security Council. On 1 July, the Foreign Secretary wrote a joint op-ed with his Swedish and German counterparts calling for the international community to back peace efforts. On 18 June, the Minister for the Middle East and North Africa spoke with senior Yemeni leaders and the Special Envoy during a "virtual visit" and called for urgent action to secure peace and avoid a humanitarian catastrophe.

Colombia: Peace Negotiations

lord alderdice: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla group's recent offer of a 90-day ceasefire, what steps they are taking to help achieve a negotiated end to the conflict in Colombia.

baroness sugg: The UK remains extremely concerned about the continued activity of illegal armed groups in Colombia, including that of the National Liberation Army (ELN), and the impact that their violence has on ordinary Colombians.At a UN Security Council meeting on 14 April, we noted the unilateral ceasefire declared by the ELN on 30 March, and hoped it would facilitate efforts to address the COVID-19 pandemic as well as potentially representing a positive step towards peace. We regret that this ceasefire was not renewed by the ELN.We are aware of the request for a bilateral 90-day ceasefire made by the ELN in a statement on 7 July, and the Colombian Government's response. In our Permanent Representative's statement at the UN Security Council on 14 July, we encouraged all conflict parties in Colombia to create the conditions necessary for a cessation of hostilities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The UK, alongside international partners, has continued to urge the ELN to end its campaign of violence, free all the hostages that it holds, and play a part in bringing an end to this conflict.

Colombia: Politics and Government

lord alderdice: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the implementation of the 2016 peace agreement between the government of Colombia and Farc rebels.

baroness sugg: The United Kingdom is committed to the full implementation of the Peace Accords of 2016, and to supporting the Colombian Government as they work to ensure sustainable peace across the country. We are proud to be the penholder on the issue at the United Nations Security Council. Most recently, our Permanent Representative to the United Nations spoke on this issue at the Security Council on 14 July, and stated the importance of pressing ahead with work to consolidate peace for all, and build stability. We are working with stakeholders to help refine the mandate of the UN Verification Mission as it comes up for renewal later this year.We also regularly raise our commitment to the peace process directly with the Colombian Government, most recently when Minister Wendy Morton spoke to the Colombian Foreign Minister Claudia Blum on 2 June.The UK has committed almost £53 million over 5 years through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund for Colombia to support the implementation of the peace process, and we are the largest donor to the multilateral UN Trust Fund. We will continue to work closely with the Colombian Government and civil society on the peace process and related matters.

Khalil Tafakji

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about reports that Khalil Tafakji was arrested without a stated reason.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have not made representations on this case.

Israel: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about reports that the rights of Palestinian detainees, including children, are being routinely violated in prisons in Israel.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK has concerns about the continued reports of ill-treatment of Palestinian detainees, including minors, in Israeli military detention. We remain committed to working with Israel to secure improvements to the practices surrounding children in detention in Israel and continue to make representations to the Israeli authorities on this issue. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv did so most recently on 18 June, when they raised our concerns about the impact that COVID-19 could have on prisoners and detainees.

Israel: Foreign Relations

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the responses they receive from the government of Israel when they have raised reports of violations of (1) human rights, and (2) international law, by that government with that government; what assessment they have made of the UK Government’s policy of raising concerns directly with that government about such reports; and what steps they are taking, if any, to review that policy.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK is a close friend of Israel and we enjoy an excellent bilateral relationship, built on decades of cooperation between our two countries across a range of fields. While we do not hesitate to express disagreement with Israel whenever we feel it necessary, we believe that open and honest discussions best support our efforts to help progress in the peace process and achieve a negotiated solution. There is frequent high-level engagement between the UK and Israel and we have a regular dialogue with Israel on legal issues relating to the occupation at all levels. We will continue to do so.

Deniz Yıldırım

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made, or intend to make, representations to the government of Turkeyabout the release from prison of Mr Deniz Yildirim of the People's Democratic Party.

baroness sugg: Although we have not made specific representations on behalf of Mr Yildirim, we regularly raise our human rights concerns with the Turkish authorities at the highest level, particularly around detentions, freedom of expression and association. We continue to urge the authorities to ensure that all detainees are treated in accordance with relevant international human rights standards, such as access to legal representation and medical care. We will continue to engage the Turkish Government on these important issues. We are clear in our expectation that Turkey should live up to its human rights obligations towards all its citizens.

Press Freedom: Coronavirus

baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatsteps they have taken to protect global press freedom during the COVID-19pandemic.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Media freedom is vital to open societies, and journalists must be able to investigate and report without undue interference. We must oppose all attempts by any state to use the COVID-19 pandemic to restrict press freedom, silence debate, abuse journalists, or spread misinformation.As the Minister of State responsible for Human Rights, I addressed the Alliance for Multilateralism on 16 April, and highlighted the UK's commitment to human rights and media freedom, particularly during the crisis. To mark World Press Freedom Day (WPFD), the Foreign Secretary issued a statement on 2 May with his German, French and Dutch colleagues, calling on governments to defend media freedom, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The UK also signed a statement issued by the Media Freedom Coalition on WPFD and supported a Dutch social media campaign publicly highlighting cases of journalists who have been killed or imprisoned.On 13 July at the inaugural meeting of the UK National Committee for the Safety of Journalists, I talked about the opportunity we had to lead internationally, developing an effective National Action Plan and thus setting an example for other countries in best practice.We are determined not to allow the pandemic disrupt global efforts to protect media freedom. On 23 July, I called the Canadian High Commissioner to maintian momentum towards the next conference of the Media Freedom Coalition, which we hope will be held later this year. We remain committed to broadening this coalition of like-minded states to ensure that journalists are able to work freely without interference.

Department of Health and Social Care

Coronavirus: Screening

lord mawson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what partnerships they have established in order to deliver sufficient COVID-19 testing; what assessment they have made of the adequacy of those partnerships; and by what date they expect a full COVID-19 testing programme to be operating across the UK.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library 



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Coronavirus: Screening

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of COVID-19 tests used on NHS workers that were flawed.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library 



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Coronavirus: Screening

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many COVID-19 home test kits have been (1) sent out, and (2) returned, to date; and how many of those were returned in a state fit for testing.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library 



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Coronavirus: Disease Control

baroness bennett of manor castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the (1) false negative, and (2) false positive rate, of tests for COVID-19 being used to determine the current infected/non-infected status of individuals in a (a) laboratory, and (b) real world, setting.[T]

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library 



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Coronavirus: Screening

baroness andrews: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the availability of chemical reagents needed for polymerase chain reaction tests for COVID-19.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library 



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Coronavirus: Screening

baroness andrews: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking in relation to unregulated or unverified COVID-19 antibody tests being used in the UK; and what steps they are taking to ensure that polymerase chain reaction tests for COVID-19 being offered by private companies are being conducted in accordance with the relevant guidelines.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library 



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Coronavirus: Screening

lord rosser: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many COVID-19 tests were (1) sent to, and (2) carried out at, satellite testing locations on each day since 28 April.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library 



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Coronavirus: Screening

baroness thornton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, for each day of distribution, how many home testing kits for COVID-19 did not have the complete information included to allow the test to be returned and processed. [T]

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library 



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Coronavirus: Screening

baroness manzoor: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they evaluate (1) the results, and (2) the accuracy, of COVID-19 tests; what percentage of those tests are accurate, both positive and negative; and how many people have had to be retested.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library 



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Coronavirus: Death

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people they have tested for COVID-19 after they have passed away;and how many such tests have returned a positive result.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library 



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Coronavirus: Screening

lord lingfield: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide COVID-19 testing equipment to schools and colleges so that pupils and students can be tested on-site; and what assessment they have made of the impact of any such plans on the transmission rate of COVID-19 once schools begin to resume.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library 



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Coronavirus: Screening

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the daily targets for the number of COVID-19 tests of 100,000 from 1 May, or of 200,000 from 1 June, apply to (1) each day, (2) a majority of days, or(3) an average of the days in each month.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library 



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Coronavirus: Screening

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government how long, in total it takes, for polymerase chain reaction tests for COVID-19 to be conducted, processed by laboratories and for the results of such tests to be returned to patients

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library 



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Coronavirus: Screening

lord strasburger: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the (1) mean, (2) median, (3) 25th percentile, (4) 75th percentile, and (5) variance, of the time taken between testing for COVID-19 and receiving the result.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library 



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Coronavirus: Screening

baroness thornton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whathas been the average length of time it takes for COVID-19 tests to be processed and the results communicated to patients for each day of testing conducted.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library 



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Coronavirus: Screening

baroness thornton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of COVID-19 tests being taken at regional testing sites have been processed and the results communicated to patients within 48 hours of the test being taken.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library 



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Coronavirus: Screening

baroness thornton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of COVID-19 home tests have been processed and the results communicated to patients within 72 hours of the test being taken.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library 



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Coronavirus: Research

the earl of clancarty: To ask Her Majesty's Government what stepsthey are taking to ensure that (1) local authorities, and (2) local NHS centres, have full access toCOVID-19test data from commercial laboratories.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library.



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Coronavirus: Screening

lord harris of haringey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of COVID-19 home tests which have been sent out havebeen (1) returned within three days, (2) returned but found to be unusable, (3) found to be positive, (4) found to be negative; and what assessment they have made of the proportion of such tests that deliver a (a) false positive, or (b) a false negative, result. [T]

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library 



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Coronavirus: Screening

baroness pinnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether local resilience forums and local authority directors of public health are being provided with the results of COVID-19 tests carried out on people whose home address is within the local authority boundary.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library 



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Health Professions: Coronavirus

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of results of the survey conducted by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and the Doctor’s Association UK, published on 7 May, which found that 83.6 per cent of those doctors surveyed had not been tested for COVID-19 since the pandemic began; and what steps they are taking to increase testing specifically for front line NHS staff.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library 



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Coronavirus: Screening

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the prevalence of false negative COVID-19 test results from a nasal swab or saliva test.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library 



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Coronavirus: Screening

baroness bennett of manor castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce saliva rather than swab testing for COVID-19 for (1) the general population, and (2) vulnerable groups that might find the swab test particularly difficultincluding (a) children, and (b) patients with dementia or other cognitive impairments.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library 



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Coronavirus: Tennessee

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the COVID-19 'open-testing' policy in Tennessee.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library 



Testing information Factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Care Homes: Coronavirus

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) what assessment they have made of the number of COVID-19 related deaths in care homes in England and Wales between 10 April and 29 May as documented by the Office of National Statistics; (2) what assessment they have made of the statistics published by the Data Analysis Bureau and Person Centred Software that, since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, 15 per cent of care home staff have been tested and 62 per cent of care homes have not had any staff receive tests; and (3) what plans they have to review their statement on 15 May that they would ensure the testing of residents and employees at all care homes in England by the beginning of June.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library 



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Coronavirus: Screening

baroness jolly: To ask Her Majesty's Government how COVID-19 testing capacity will be prioritised when they reach their target of 200,000 daily tests.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library 



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Coronavirus: Screening

baroness thornton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the rationale for using COVID-19 testing capacity as a measure of testing efficacy, as opposed to the number of actual tests completed.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library 



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Coronavirus: Screening

lord warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there is an NHS tariff price for COVID-19 pathology tests; if so, what is their price; and if not, how are these tests priced.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library 



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Coronavirus: Screening

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of COVID-19 tests that have been double-counted.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library 



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Health Services: Coronavirus

baroness jolly: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to balance COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 care and treatment; whether those steps include making systemic and consistent testing available for patients and staff; and if not, how they plan to ensure the provision of all care and treatment without such testing.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library 



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Coronavirus: Screening

lord warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many COVID-19 tests are currently being completed each week in (1) NHS and other public sector, and (2) private, laboratories.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library 



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Care Homes: Coronavirus

baroness hollins: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there was a different COVID-19 testing strategy for care homes for (1) the elderly, and (2) working age adults with learning disabilities; and if so, why.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library 



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Coronavirus: Screening

lord marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further the Written Answer by Lord Bethell on 14 April (HL2960), how many people have tested positive for COVID-19 to date; and how many of those who were hospitalised in the UK have died.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library 



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Coronavirus: Screening

lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many COVID-19 tests have been dispatched for each day since postal distribution began.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library 



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Coronavirus: Screening

lord shipley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what they currently estimate the percentage of (1) false negative, and (2) false positive, tests for COVID-19 to be.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library 



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Coronavirus: Screening

lord shipley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how manytests for COVID-19 have been completed per 100,000people in each local authority area in England to date.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library.



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Coronavirus: Screening

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to respond to concerns raised by the UK Statistics Authority about how the Department for Health and Social Care reports COVID-19 testing data.

lord bethell: To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library 



Testing information factsheet
(PDF Document, 124.76 KB)

Department for Education

Higher Education

baroness garden of frognal: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the viability of the small, specialist higher education sub-sector.

baroness garden of frognal: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to protect high quality creative courses in the small, specialist higher education sub-sector.

lord parkinson of whitley bay: The government recognises that the COVID-19 outbreak poses significant financial challenges to the higher education (HE) sector, including small and specialist providers.We are committed to supporting small and specialist providers which play an important part in our HE sector to develop and nurture skills and talent that our country needs. We have been working closely with the sector, the Office for Students (OfS), and across government to understand the financial risks that providers are facing, to stabilise the admissions system, and to help providers access the support on offer. The OfS has stated that one of its key priorities during the outbreak is to support the financial sustainability of the sector. Providers with concerns about their financial viability or sustainability have been encouraged to contact the OfS at the earliest opportunity. In light of COVID-19, the OfS has enhanced its financial sustainability reporting to identify sector and short-term viability risks to individual universities, as well as patterns across the sector.The government has already provided significant support to help providers through the financial challenges that COVID-19 has brought. The HE package we announced on 4 May, with its reprofiling of public funding and measures on admissions, has acted to stabilise the situation in England. Alongside this, eligible HE providers have also been able to apply to take advantage of the range of measures put in place to support businesses across the economy, including government-backed loan schemes and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.On 27 June, we announced further UK-wide support in the form of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s research stabilisation package.On 16 July, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, announced further information about the HE restructuring regime. The government will be able to intervene to support a provider in England, where there is a case to do so as a last resort, when a provider has exhausted other steps to mitigate its risk of market exit because of COVID-19. The over-arching policy objectives that will guide the department’s assessment of cases will be protecting the welfare of current students, preserving the sector’s internationally outstanding science base, and supporting the role that higher education providers play in regional and local economies through the provision of high-quality courses aligned with economic and societal needs.Financial support in the form of repayable loans will only be offered as a last resort and with strict conditions attached, such as tackling low-quality courses and reducing excessive vice-chancellor pay.Details on the HE restructuring regime can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-restructuring-regime.The government continues to prioritise world-leading specialist teaching and provides teaching grant funding, via the OfS, to support the costs of this type of provision. The teaching grant funding for academic year 2020-21 has been protected in full in cash terms and totals £43 million.

National Tutoring Programme

lord watson of invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to publish further guidance on the national tutoring programme.

lord watson of invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many hours of tutoring each pupil designated as vulnerable can expect to receive from the national tutoring programme in the 2020–21 school year.

lord watson of invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the cost per hour per pupil of implementing the national tutoring programme; and how much of the cost per hour is estimated to be administrative cost.

baroness berridge: The National Tutoring Programme (NTP) was announced on 19 June as part of the £1 billion COVID-19 “catch-up” package for schools, and further information was published on 20 July. The programme will enable schools to access high-quality tutoring for disadvantaged pupils at a substantially reduced cost – and it will also give funding to school sixth forms, colleges and other further education providers for small group tuition targeted at disadvantaged students aged 16 to 19 whose studies have been disrupted as a result of COVID-19. Details about the NTP as a whole are available at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-catch-up-premium. The element of the NTP for 5 to 16 year olds in state-funded schools in England comprises two parts. The first of these is being developed by the department in partnership with the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), and will enable schools in all regions to access subsidised tuition from an approved list of tuition partners that meet quality, safeguarding and evaluation standards and which will be supported and funded to meet as many disadvantaged pupils as possible. Preliminary information for schools and tutoring organisations that are interested in taking part in this aspect of the NTP is published on the EEF website, available at:https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/covid-19-resources/national-tutoring-programme/. The second part of the programme will support schools in the most disadvantaged communities to employ in-house academic mentors to provide small group tuition to their pupils. Teach First will be responsible for the recruitment and training of the first cohort of academic mentors and their placement in schools from October 2020 onwards, with their salaries being subsidised by the government. Information about this part of the NTP is available at https://www.teachfirst.org.uk/academic-mentors. The NTP is intended to support disadvantaged and vulnerable pupils to catch up with the education they have missed due to extended school closures. Schools will have the discretion to decide which pupils would benefit from tuition delivered by external tutors, and the number of hours that those pupils would need. The cost per hour per pupil of implementing the NTP will vary depending on how the tutoring is delivered: whether remotely or face-to-face; in small groups or one-to-one support; and whether the tuition is accessed by schools from tutoring organisations under the NTP or through an academic mentor engaged full-time in the school.

Pupils: Attendance

lord watson of invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact that the restrictions in place on the courts system to address the COVID-19 pandemic will have on the ability of local authorities to seek School Attendance Orders from the start of the next academic year.

baroness berridge: We are asking schools and local authorities to work with families to secure regular school attendance for all pupils from the start of the autumn term. This will be essential to help pupils catch up on missed education, make progress and promote their wellbeing and wider development. Schools should bear in mind the potential concerns of pupils, parents and households who may be reluctant or anxious about returning and put the right support in place to address this. A local authority will be able to serve a school attendance order on a parent if they fail to satisfy the local authority that their child of compulsory school age is receiving a suitable education either by regular attendance at school or otherwise. Failure to comply with a school attendance order is an offence. Local authorities should not experience delays in court proceedings, provided they use the “single justice procedure” for offences relating to school attendance orders.

Pupils: Attendance

lord watson of invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to publish a response to the consultation on children not in school, which closed on 24 June 2019.

baroness berridge: In the spring of 2019, a consultation was held on proposals for: a mandatory register of children not attending state or registered independent schools to help local authorities carry out their responsibilities in relation to children not in school; a duty on parents to register their child with the local authority if not registered at specified types of school; a duty on proprietors of certain education settings to respond to enquiries from local authorities; and a duty on local authorities to provide support to parents who educate children at home .Almost 5,000 responses were received to the consultation which closed in June 2019 and they have now been considered.The government is committed to publishing the response to the Children Not in School consultation. We anticipate the formal publication of the government response will come in autumn.

Educational Visits

lord wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they haveto allow schools in England to resume overnight trips for their pupilsto any locationin the UK provided that such schools (1) carry out risk assessments, and (2) follow appropriate safeguarding guidelines.

baroness berridge: The Department for Education continues to advise against both overnight and non-overnight domestic (UK) and overseas educational visits (trips). This advice is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-travel-advice-for-educational-settings/coronavirus-travel-guidance-for-educational-settings.In the autumn term, schools can resume non-overnight domestic educational visits. Guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools.All such visits should be compliant with COVID-19 guidelines and subject to a thorough and ongoing assessment of the risks to ensure that they can be undertaken safely. Schools should consult the health and safety guidance on educational visits when considering any visit, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-and-safety-on-educational-visits/health-and-safety-on-educational-visits.Schools should not resume overnight visits for the time-being. This is consistent with the latest government guidance on meeting people from outside your household, which advises that you should not stay overnight away from your home with members of more than 2 households: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/meeting-people-from-outside-your-household-from-4-july.The above guidance will remain under review and will be updated in line with guidance from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department for Transport and Public Health England.

Children: Coronavirus

lord bourne of aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that children, in particular those from low-income families, are not negatively affected by missed schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic and can catch-up on lessons.

baroness berridge: Education recovery lies at the heart of our national mission as we emerge from the disruption caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. On 19 June we announced a £1 billion COVID-19 catch-up package to directly tackle the impact of lost teaching time.£650 million will be shared across state primary, secondary and special schools over the 2020/21 academic year. This one-off grant to support pupils recognises that all young people have lost time in education as a result of the outbreak, regardless of their income or background.  School leaders will have discretion over how to use the funding, but we expect it to focus on the most effective approaches. The Education Endowment Foundation has published guidance to help schools make good decisions about how to use the money effectively. Separately, a National Tutoring Programme worth £350 million will increase access to high-quality tuition for children and young people from deprived backgrounds. This will help to accelerate their academic progress and tackle the attainment gap between them and their peers.  We published guidance on both parts of the package on 20 July, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-catch-up-premium. This £1 billion package is on top of the £14.4 billion core funding increase over three years announced last year, and the £2.4 billion pupil premium funding which schools continue to receive to support their disadvantaged pupils.

Music: Special Educational Needs

lord lingfield: To ask Her Majesty's Government what practical support there is to assist pupils with special educational needs and disabilitiesto learn a musical instrument at school.

baroness berridge: Our vision for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is the same as that for all children and young people, namely that they are taught a broad and ambitious curriculum.The department funds a national network of 120 Music Education Hubs who work with the majority of schools to deliver 4 core roles, one of which is to enable children from all backgrounds and every part of England to have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument. This includes children with SEND.In addition, one of the programmes that the department partially funds with Arts Council England is Music for Youth. Working with the Music Education Hubs, this provides over 60,000 young people each year with free opportunities to perform and experience live music through nationwide festivals, concerts and tailored projects. This includes giving pupils with SEND opportunities to both perform and access performances they would not otherwise be able to.

Work Experience

lord shinkwin: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they assess the quality assurance of providers of supported internships in relation to (1) the programme structure, (2) the programme content, and (3) the cohort outcomes. [T]

baroness berridge: Supported Internships are an educational study programme and, as such, are inspected by Ofsted.This is a matter for Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman. I have asked her to write to the noble Lord and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Sex and Relationship Education

lord maginnis of drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they have introduced compulsory relationships education for children attending primary school.

lord maginnis of drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether parents of children attending primary schools can ask for their children to not participate in relationships education lessons.

lord maginnis of drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government to whatextent theyexpect explicit sexual and gender issues to be introduced in relationships education for six to 11 year olds in primary schools; and what plans they have to make a statementto both Houses of Parliament about this issue.

baroness berridge: Section 34 of The Children and Social Work Act 2017 requires regulations to be made to provide for Relationships Education for primary aged pupils and Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) for secondary aged pupils. This provision also specified that the regulations must include the circumstances in which pupils are to be excused from receiving RSE or elements thereof. The Relationships Education, RSE and Health Education statutory guidance sets out the content to be covered for each subject. There is no right to withdraw from Relationships Education lessons. The key aim of Relationships Education for primary aged pupils is to put in place the building blocks needed for positive and safe relationships of all kinds, starting with family and friends, and moving out to other kinds of relationships, including those off and online. For secondary aged pupils the emphasis under the RSE curriculum moves from the experience of the child in the context of their family to the young person as a potential partner and parent, and the characteristics of healthy intimate relationships are explored. RSE will also cover the concepts of, and laws relating to sex and relationships. There is no prescription for primary schools to cover sex education. If a primary school chooses to deliver sex education, it must be covered in the school’s Relationships Education policy. Schools are required to consult parents on a draft of their policy. Where sex education is covered in primary schools, parents have an automatic right to withdraw their child from this part of the curriculum. In making decisions about resources and materials to use in teaching the new subjects, the statutory guidance sets out that schools should assess each resource that they propose to use carefully to ensure it is appropriate for the age and maturity of pupils and sensitive to their needs. Schools should also be aware of their duties regarding impartiality and balanced treatment of political issues in the classroom to ensure content is handled in an appropriate way. The statutory guidance states that when schools consult with parents on their Relationships Education and RSE policy, they should also ensure that they provide examples of the resources that they plan to use in teaching the new subjects as this can be reassuring for parents and enables them to continue the conversations started in class at home. The statutory guidance can be accessed via this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education. We will be issuing further implementation guidance on the teaching of RSE and health education shortly.

Computers: Primary Education

lord baker of dorking: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many primary schools taught computer codingin the current academic year.

baroness berridge: The computing curriculum in England was introduced in 2014 across key stages 1 to 4 to ensure it better reflects employers’ needs and the increasing demand for digital skills. There are over 10,000 state-funded primary schools in the academic year 2019/20 which are all required to teach the computing curriculum from key stage 1, with England being one of the first G20 countries to introduce teaching of coding in primary schools. Other schools, such as academies and free schools, have freedom to design their own school curriculum, but are required to offer a broad and balanced curriculum to their pupils, with many using the computing curriculum as an exemplar.To strengthen the teaching of the computing curriculum and GCSE/A Level computer science, and to improve take up of computing qualifications, we are investing over £80 million in the National Centre for Computing Education (NCCE). The NCCE is providing free high quality continuing professional development (CPD) and teaching resources for both primary and secondary teachers, as well as overseeing a network of 34 computing hubs to support schools across the country. Support from the NCCE includes resources specifically mapped against the whole primary and secondary computing curriculum up to and including key stage 4, a Computer Science Accelerator Programme for GCSE teachers that includes programming-specific CPD elements, and the Isaac Computer Science A level online platform which provides resources for teachers and student workshops.Computing science is one of the fastest growing subjects at GCSE with over 77,000 pupils sitting the exam in 2019.

Schools: Printing

lord baker of dorking: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) primary, and (2) secondary, schools have installed a 3D printer.

baroness berridge: The information requested is not held centrally by the Department.

Eleven Plus: Coronavirus

lord watson of invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Berridge on 21 May (HL4175), what guidance is in place for secondary schools to permit visits for assessment tests in September and October 2020 of prospective pupils whose parents are applying for secondary transfer in September 2021.

baroness berridge: We have published non-statutory guidance on assessment processes for selective school admissions for the 2021-22 academic year. The guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-assessment-processes-for-selective-school-admissions.

Academies: Curriculum

lord watson of invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether academies are obliged to teach all national curriculum subjects at Key Stage 2; and what action will be taken if an academy does not teach modern foreign languages at Key Stage 2.

baroness berridge: Both academies and maintained schools are under a duty to teach a balanced and broadly based curriculum which promotes the spiritual, moral, social, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school; and prepare pupils at the school for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.Unlike maintained schools, academies are not required to follow the national curriculum. Therefore, they are not under a statutory duty to teach modern foreign languages at key stage 2 although a primary academy may choose to do so as part of their key stage 2 curriculum.

Educational Institutions: Coronavirus

lord watson of invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what arrangements are in place to ensure that the £650 million additional catch-up resources for schools and other educational settings will be allocated to the most deprived neighbourhoods.

baroness berridge: We recognise that all children and young people have had their education disrupted as a result of COVID-19. It is our ambition to ensure that all pupils have the chance to make up for this lost education.That is why we are introducing a universal ‘catch-up premium’ worth a total of £650 million. Our expectation is that this funding will be spent on supporting pupils to catch up after a period of disruption to their education.Departmental guidance issued on 20 July sets out that all schools should use the total catch-up premium funding available to them as a single total from which to prioritise support for particular pupils according to their need. Additional weighting has been applied to specialist settings – special schools, alternative provision, and hospital schools - recognising the significantly higher per-pupil costs they face.Alongside this universal offer, we have also announced a new £350 million National Tutoring Programme for disadvantaged pupils. This will increase access to high-quality tuition for disadvantaged and vulnerable children and young people, helping to accelerate their academic progress and tackling the attainment gap between them and their peers.The departmental guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-catch-up-premium.

Schools: Coronavirus

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the announcement on 7 Juneof grants worth more than £750,000 to help schools and colleges respond to the impact of COVID-19 on mental health and wellbeing, how many schools have received funding; and how much of that funding each such school has received.

baroness berridge: Access to mental health support is more important than ever during the COVID-19 outbreak. We have been working closely with partners to provide resources and update guidance to support and promote children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing during the COVID-19 outbreak.As part of a package of support for schools on 7 June, we announced more than £750,000 funding would be available to three anti-bullying organisations. These include the Diana Award, the Anti-Bullying Alliance and the Anne Frank Trust. This is to help hundreds of schools and colleges build relationships between pupils, boost their resilience, and continue to tackle bullying both in person and online. More details are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/extra-mental-health-support-for-pupils-and-teachers.We have since made progress on the other support to schools. The department in collaboration with Public Health England and NHS England, delivered two webinars in July to provide further mental health support. The first webinar was for schools and colleges to support teachers in promoting and supporting the mental wellbeing of children and young people during the COVID-19 outbreak. The second event was for stakeholders across the local system to support strengthening of local partnerships to further support children and young people’s mental health as they return to school. We had around 10,000 sign up to the first webinar and around 1,300 to the second, and they are now available online for wider use.There have been over 19,000 unique downloads of the relationships, sex and health education training module on teaching about mental wellbeing since it was published on 8 June. The guidance for schools is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/schools-and-colleges-to-reopen-in-full-in-september.To support the return to school, the government has also announced an additional £650 million ‘catch-up’ premium, as part of our wider £1 billion COVID catch-up package, to be shared across all state-funded schools over the 2020-21 academic year. The Education Endowment Foundation have published a COVID-19 support guide to support schools to direct this funding, which includes further information about interventions to support pupils’ mental health and wellbeing. Details can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/billion-pound-covid-catch-up-plan-to-tackle-impact-of-lost-teaching-time.

The Senior Deputy Speaker

Lord Speaker: Freedom of Information

earl attlee: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker whether (1) letters, and (2) e-mails, from members of the House of Lords to the Lord Speaker, in his capacity as Lord Speaker, can be released as result of a request made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000; and if so, what steps are being taken to ensure that the Lord Speaker is able to be informed confidentially of the views of members of the House while the restrictions are in place to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord mcfall of alcluith: The rights of access under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 ("the Act") apply to information recorded in any form which is held by a public authority. Correspondence such as letters and e-mails falls within the definition of information. Correspondence sent by members of the House of Lords to the Lord Speaker in his capacity as Lord Speaker would be held by the House of Lords for the purposes of the Act.Requests for information are considered by the House Administration on a case-by-case basis. Whether correspondence will be disclosed in whole, in part or exempted from disclosure under one or more of the exemptions set out in the Act will depend upon the specific circumstances including the subject matter.

Ministry of Defence

Russia: Navy

viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the security of the Baltic and North Sea following recent reports that the Russian navy will commission 40 new vessels in 2020.

baroness goldie: The Ministry of Defence monitors the development of all new Russian vessels commissioned and makes assessments based on their operational capability. We continue to assess the impact of Russian naval investments to regional security, including the Baltic and North Seas. Russia continues to be a significant state-based threat to the UK; monitoring and responding to this threat is a core priority for the Ministry of Defence.

Armed Forces: Cadets

lord jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) army cadet forces, (2) sea cadet forces, and (3) air training cadet forces, there were in the UK in (a) 2018, and (b) 2019.

baroness goldie: We are incredibly proud of our cadet forces, which provide the young people of our nation with confidence, resilience, and a sense of civic duty and values which will serve them well throughout life. The information requested is available as an open-source document, and can be found at the following address: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/mod-sponsored-cadet-forces-statistics-2019. A copy of the report is attached for ease of reference, and should the noble Lord wish to compare, data for 2020 can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/mod-sponsored-cadet-forces-statistics-2020   



MOD Sponsored Cadet Forces Statistics
(PDF Document, 389.88 KB)

Military Aid: Coronavirus

viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether military personnel are still assisting with COVID-19 testing; and if not, why not.

baroness goldie: As of Monday 27 July 2020, there are 96 Military Mobile Testing Unit (MTU) crews operational to assist with Covid-19 testing. This is inclusive of 22 Strategic Reserve crews. The Armed Forces have begun the process of handing over the operation of MTUs to civilian contractors for ongoing testing in line with Military Aid to the Civil Authorities principles regarding commercial solutions.

Department for Work and Pensions

Housing Benefit: Coronavirus

lord kirkwood of kirkhope: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Housing Benefit claimants who (1) are currently self-isolating or shieldingfrom COVID-19, and (2) are temporarily absent from their main dwelling within the UK and who intend to return when medically safe to do so, (a) have been granted extensionsfor a temporary absence from home for 52 weeks, and (b) have had applications for extension on medical grounds rejected, in the last six months.

lord kirkwood of kirkhope: To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidanceis given to those making decisions on applications by Universal Credit claimants for a temporary absence from home on medical grounds during the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord kirkwood of kirkhope: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the effectiveness of (1) the process for applying for, and (2) the application of the policy for, temporary absences from home on medical grounds for(a) Housing Benefit, and (b) Universal Credit, claimantsduring the COVID-19 pandemic.

baroness stedman-scott: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) continues to support existing benefit recipients in exceptional cases where their absence from home goes over the period allowed under the temporary absence benefit rules as they are self-isolating due to COVID-19. Although the DWP has overall responsibility for the Housing Benefit scheme and its funding, local authorities have the statutory responsibility for its day-to-day administration. This includes the assessment of individual claims for benefit. Although local authority staff will keep a record on individual claims when a claimant is absent from home, this information isn’t recorded centrally.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Fishing Gear: Plastics

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have for ending the use of plastics in fishing lines and nets.

lord goldsmith of richmond park: Through the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR), the UK co-led a study (attached and available at https://www.ospar.org/documents?v=42718) on best practice for the design and recycling of fishing gear in the North-East Atlantic. This study will support countries to develop measures to reduce the environmental impact of fishing gear at end-of-life, which could include alternative gear design and improved recycling.A wide variety of materials are used to make fishing gear and important design considerations include functionality, durability and cost. Plastic is an essential material in current fishing gear and the Government is not planning to end its use.In England, the Government has committed to reviewing and consulting on measures such as Extended Producer Responsibility to ensure that fishing gear that is no longer fit for purpose is disposed of correctly and prevented from polluting the ocean.



OSPAR study on best practices
(PDF Document, 5.29 MB)

Seas and Oceans: Climate Change

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to work with international partners to protect oceans and seas from the impact (1) of rising temperatures, (2) of melting sea ice, and (3) of the depletion of fish stocks.

lord goldsmith of richmond park: The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate provides the definitive assessment of climate change impacts on the ocean and cryosphere (icecaps). It shows that many of the changes that have taken place, such as ocean warming and the melting of sea ice, will continue if greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions continue. Accelerated and ambitious global GHG reductions are critical to reduce the impact of climate change on the ocean, alongside protecting our marine environment to build greater resilience.As incoming president of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COP26, the UK is committed to engaging with international partners, encouraging every country to develop ambitious new Nationally Determined Contributions to limit emissions. The UK is also engaging with Parties through the UNFCCC Ocean Dialogue on how to strengthen mitigation and adaptation action for the ocean under the Convention.The UK is encouraging countries to join the UK-led Global Ocean Alliance, in support of a new Convention on Biological Diversity target to protect at least 30% of the global ocean within marine protected areas and other effective conservation measures by 2030. Scientific evidence indicates effective protection of at least 30% of the global ocean will help to reverse adverse impacts, preserve fish populations, increase resilience to climate change and sustain ocean health. There are currently 25 members of the Global Ocean Alliance from across the globe.Through our Blue Belt programme, we are on track to protect 4 million square kilometres of ocean around the UK mainland and Overseas Territories within MPAs by 2020.On the depletion of fish stocks, the UK has always been a strong advocate for setting harvest rates at or below a stock's maximum sustainable yield (MSY), to progress over-exploited stocks towards MSY and restore them to healthy conditions as quickly as possible, both through international agreements and in negotiations over catch limits for stocks of interest to UK fishers.The Fisheries Bill provides the legal framework for making progress towards MSY in its precautionary objective (clause 1) and further details about how the fisheries administrations will achieve sustainable fishing will be outlined in the legally binding Joint Fisheries Statement and Fisheries Management Plans.As we leave the EU, the UK will take its seat in regional fisheries management organisations and engage proactively with international counterparts, driving forward a sustainability agenda and helping to ensure sustainable management of high seas fisheries as an independent coastal state. The UK also plays a leading role in the global fight to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.The UK is also engaging internationally on science. For example, we are collaborating on research on the changes in the arctic ocean through a £16 million National Environmental Research Council funded programme and we will be participating in the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-30), which through international collaboration will target a number of societal and research outcomes, including how climate change affects the ocean and coastal communities.

Somerset Levels

lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of(1) the landscape value, and (2) the level of landscape protection, of the Somerset Levels.

lord gardiner of kimble: Natural England published a detailed Natural Character Area profile of the Somerset Levels in June 2013. This study provides a description of the natural and cultural features that shape the landscape, how the landscape has changed over time, the current key drivers of landscape change and a broad analysis of the area’s characteristics and ecosystem services. The Somerset Levels have no formal landscape protection. Large areas of the Somerset Levels are, however, afforded protection because of their nature conservation value through designation as: a National Nature Reserve; a Special Protection Area (under the Wild Birds Directive); and a Ramsar site (under the Ramsar Convention on wetlands of international importance). These designations are underpinned by several Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Further information is available online via Natural England’s Designated Sites Viewer and the MAGIC website: designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteList.aspx?siteName=somerset&countyCode=&responsiblePerson=&DesignationType=All magic.defra.gov.uk

Home Office

Offenders: Pakistan

lord pearson of rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 13 July (HL6245), whether they will now answer the question put, namely, what assessment they have made of whetherAbdul Aziz, Adil Khan, and Qari Abdul Rauf haveconnections in(1) the Home Office, or (2) UK Visas and Immigration, which have had an impact on their deportation.

lord pearson of rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 13 July (HL6246), whether they will now answer the question put, namely,what progress they have made towards the deportation of (1) Adil Khan, (2) Qari Abdul Rauf, and (3) Abdul Aziz.

baroness williams of trafford: I must continue to reiterate to the noble Lord that I am unable to comment on individual cases.The Home Office will always ensure that cases such as these are handled with extreme professionalism to ensure that decisions are lawfully made in the best interests of the British public. Any outcome or ongoing consideration of the cases in question will have been made in accordance with legislation.This Government makes clear that foreign criminals should be deported from the UK wherever it is legal and practical to do so. Foreign national offenders should be in no doubt of our determination to remove them, and since 2010 we have removed more than 53,000.

Hate Crime and Theft: Prosecutions

lord pearson of rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) hate incidents, and (2) cases of burglary and theft,have been recorded by the police in each of the last five years; and how many of the cases of burglary and theft have resulted in a successful prosecution.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office routinely publishes data on the number of hate crimes burglary and theft offences recorded by the police in England and Wales.This is published as part of the ‘Police recorded crime and outcomes open data tables’, which can be found here:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-recorded-crime-open-data-tablesThe Ministry of Justice is responsible for prosecutions data and publishes information on the number of prosecutions, and the number of these which resulted in a conviction by offence types, including theft and burglary. These can be found here:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/888344/HO-code-tool-principal-offence-2019.xlsxInformation on the number of hate crimes that have been prosecuted are published by the Crown Prosecution Service and can be found here:https://www.cps.gov.uk/cps/publication/hate-crime-data



PPRC user guide 
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HO code tool principal offence 2019
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Internet: Safety

baroness eaton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the proposals set out in their initial response to the consultation on the Online Harms White Paper, published on 12 February,when they will publish the “interim codes of practice”.

baroness williams of trafford: The Government will be publishing interim codes of practice on terrorist use of the internet and child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA) as part of the full government response to the Online Harms White Paper consultation. This will ensure that companies are provided with the necessary context to understand the expectations around what companies should do to address CSEA and terrorist content and activity online. We are currently working swiftly to prepare the interim codes of practice and the full government response to the Online Harms White Paper, which we will publish in the autumn. We will follow this publication with legislation, when Parliamentary time allows.

Ports: Wales

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many additional (1) customs, and (2) immigration, personnel are being recruited at each of the Welsh ports to deal with any additional paperwork and interviewsas a result of the UK's departure from the EU.

baroness williams of trafford: Border Force resource and staffing requirements are continually reviewed, and we deploy resources flexibly as and when they are required. Border Force will continue to build a pipeline of resource to flexibly respond to future requirements. We have already delivered a largescale recruitment and training exercise, which has seen an uplift of permanent staff, bringing the number of full-time equivalent Border Force staff to over 8,700 from c7,700 in March 2018. This includes a multi-disciplinary Readiness Task Force (RTF) of c.300 officers, which is available to deploy across the UK at short notice to deal with emerging issues and peaks in demand. We are working closely across government to ensure we have the necessary trained staff, processes and infrastructure in place to respond to the increased custom checks from January in 2021.

Cabinet Office

Cabinet Office: Mass Media

lord tyler: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many media officer posts there were in each Government Department in July (1) 2019, and (2) 2020; and what plans they have to (a) increase, and (b) reduce, the number of those posts in the next 12 months.

lord true: Individual Government departments are responsible for their own staffing decisions.

Government Departments: Procurement

lord shinkwin: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to publish their response to the consultationSocial Value in Government Procurement,whichended on 10 June 2019.

lord true: The Government's response was unfortunately delayed due to Covid-19. We will announce further details of our revised timings in the usual way.

Department for International Trade

Trade Agreements: Motor Vehicles

lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government with which countries they are pursuing free trade agreements on matters which include the automotive sector; and on which agreements the negotiations are furthest advanced.

lord grimstone of boscobel: The United Kingdom is currently in negotiations with the USA, Australia and New Zealand to establish new Free Trade Agreements, and with Japan based upon the existing Economic Partnership Agreement between Japan and the EU. The UK intends to pursue accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). We are also undertaking ongoing discussion with partners with whom we have not yet finalised continuity agreements transitioning existing EU Free Trade Agreements to bilateral agreements. 1.3 million cars were produced across the United Kingdom in 2019, of which 81% were exported. According to SMMT this represents £42.4 billion of exports, or 13% of the United Kingdom’s total exported goods. The industry is clearly an important exporter for Britain and is a significant consideration in all free trade agreements that the Department is pursuing. It would not be appropriate to comment on progress while negotiations are ongoing.

Trade Agreements

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they are proposing that Parliament should not ratify future trade deals after the UK leaves the EU trading bloc on the 31 December.

lord grimstone of boscobel: This is not the case. All treaties that require ratification are subject to the scrutiny procedures laid out in the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010.Further, the constitutional arrangements of the United Kingdom mean international treaties cannot themselves amend domestic legislation. Should any changes to our law be needed to implement a future Free Trade Agreement, legislation will need to be scrutinised and passed by Parliament in the usual way.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Telecommunications: Huawei

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statement by President of the United States that he influenced them to remove Huawei from the UK’s telecommunications infrastructure.

baroness barran: The Government’s decision on the status of Huawei in the UK’s 5G network was in response to the consequences of the US sanctions against Huawei and was based on the independent, technical and evidence-based advice of the National Cyber Security Centre.The Government has previously stated that it is our ambition that no one should need to use a high risk vendor for 5G at all. To achieve this, we have taken decisive action to commit to a timetable for the removal of Huawei 5G equipment from our 5G network by 2027.

Ministry of Justice

Prison and Probation Service: Coronavirus

lord bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the outcome of their review of the HM Prisons and Probation Service COVID-19 Special Payment Scheme.

lord bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the HM Prisons and Probation Service COVID-19 Special Payment Scheme budget has been spent to date by (1) prisons, and (2) probation services.

lord keen of elie: The internal review of the HMPPS Covid-19 Special Payment Scheme is ongoing. When concluded, any changes will be implemented and communicated to staff in the usual way.HM Treasury have approved the scheme and we anticipate a budget allocation to be agreed in Autumn 2020 which will cover payments made to date.